AGATTI AND MINICOY ISLAND (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Geography)

Context: After Prime Minister’s visit to Lakshadweep, India has decided to firmly extend its naval footprint by establishing naval bases in Agatti and Minicoy Islands along with air bases in order to secure the vital sea lands of communication.

Agatti Island

• About: It is situated on a coral atoll called Agatti atoll in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.
• Location: Situated 459 km (248 nautical miles) southwest of Kochi, Kerala, India.
• Area: 3.84 sq km.
• Economic Activities: Fishing, with Agatti and Minicoy being the only islands with surplus fish production.
• Coir (coconut fiber) and copra (dried coconut meat) processing.

Minicoy Islands

• Location: Minicoy Island, the southernmost tip of Lakshadweep, rests 398 kilometers (215 nautical miles) southwest of Kochi, India.
• Dimensions and Proximity: With a land area of 4.80 square kilometers, Minicoy boasts one of the largest lagoons in Lakshadweep. 
• Lies between: The island neighbors the bustling 9° Channel, a crucial shipping route, and lies approximately 130 kilometers north of the Maldivian archipelago.

Lakshadweep

• About: It is a union territory of India. 
• Islands: It is an archipelago of 36 islands serving as the maritime boundary between the Arabian Sea to the west and the Laccadive Sea to the east. 
• Located: It is located 200 to 440 km (120 to 270 mi) off the Malabar Coast of India.
• Largest island: Minicoy Island (south of the nine-degree channel).
• Some islands under the Lakshadweep Island: Kavaratti ,Agatti ,Minicoy, Amindivi ,Androth,Kalpeni,Pitti ,Suheli Par ,Keltan, Chetlat, Kadmat, Bitra Perumul Par, Bangaram.
• 8 Degree Channel: It separates the islands of Minicoy and Maldives.
• 9 Degree Channel: It separates the island of Minicoy from the main Lakshadweep archipelago.